Hystricognathi
| Hystricognathi Temporal range: | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Desmarest's hutia (Capromys pilorides) | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Rodentia |
| Suborder: | Hystricomorpha |
| Infraorder: | Hystricognathi Tullberg, 1899 |
| Families | |
|
Abrocomidae | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Eucaviomorpha | |
The Hystricognathi are an infraorder of rodents. They have a unique bone structure in their skulls. Their masseter medialis (jaw muscle) goes through a hole below each eye (called the infraorbital foramen). The muscle then connects through the bone on the opposite side. The name Hystricognathi name comes from Ancient Greek ὕστριξ (hústrix, or porcupine), and γνάθος (gnáthos, or "jaw").
There are 18 families in Hystricognathi. Hystricognathi is divided into two parvorders: the Phiomorpha and the Caviomorpha. The Caviomorpha are mostly from South America. A few species are in the Caribbean and North America. The Phiomorpha are in the Old World.
Hystricognath families
- Hystricidae (Old World porcupines)
Phiomorphan hystricognath families
- Bathyergidae (African mole rats)
- Heterocephalidae (naked mole rats, monotypic taxon)
- Petromuridae (dassie rat, monotypic taxon)
- Thryonomyidae (cane rats)
Caviomorphan hystricognath families
- Abrocomidae (chinchilla rats)
- Caviidae (guinea pigs, wild cavies, and capybaras)
- Chinchillidae (chinchillas and viscachas)
- Ctenomyidae (tuco-tucos)
- Cuniculidae (pacas)
- Dasyproctidae (agoutis and acouchis)
- Dinomyidae (pacaranas and their fossil relatives, including some of megafaunal size)
- Echimyidae (spiny rats, hutias, and coypu)
- Erethizontidae (New World porcupines)
- Octodontidae (13 species including the degus)
Related pages
References
Sources
- Alfred L. Gardner Curator of North American mammals and Chief of Mammal Section, National Biological Service, Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC, USA
- Charles A. Woods Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-2035
- McKenna, Malcolm C. and Susan K. Bell 1997 Classification of mammals above the species level 631 Columbia University Press New York, New York, USA ISBN 0-231-11012-X
- Wilson, Don E., and DeeAnn M. Reeder, eds. 1993 Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, 2nd ed., 3rd printing xviii + 1207 Smithsonian Institution Press Washington, DC, USA ISBN 1-56098-217-9 Corrections were made to text at 3rd printing